Aid cuts and disrupted supply chains are tightening the grip on maternal health in crisis zones. This page answers common questions readers have about folic acid and iron shortages, the link between funding gaps and rising maternal deaths, hopeful signals from cash programs, and practical steps to protect pregnant women in conflict areas. Below you’ll find direct questions and clear explanations drawn from the latest data and expert analyses.
New data show a sharp drop in both folic acid and iron supplies reaching crisis-affected and low-income countries. This reduction heightens the risk of anaemia among pregnant women and can worsen pregnancy outcomes. The decline is tied to funding cuts, procurement bottlenecks, and disrupted supply chains that have interrupted regular deliveries of essential supplements.
Aid cuts shrink the funds available for procuring supplements, medics, and nutrition programs. When programmes are scaled back, pregnant women miss critical nutrients needed for healthy pregnancies. In conflict zones and displacement settings, fewer resources mean delayed or unavailable care, increasing the likelihood of severe anaemia and maternal mortality.
Early results from US-supported cash programs show guarded optimism. Cash transfers can help families buy nutritious foods and cover transport to health facilities, potentially improving access to antenatal care and essential supplements. While not a complete fix, these programs demonstrate a path to stabilising some aspects of maternal health in fragile settings.
Realistic steps include accelerating procurement and distribution of folic acid and iron, maintaining humanitarian aid flows even during escalations, and expanding cash-based support to offset food and transport costs. Strengthening supply chains, prioritising high-impact supplements, and ensuring safe access to clinics for pregnant women are essential moves that can reduce anaemia and save lives.
The latest analysis shows access to key maternal health inputs is shrinking in fragile settings, with Afghanistan repeatedly cited as a key example. Procurement data and WHO findings point to broader systemic gaps: funding shortfalls, disrupted logistics, and uneven distribution of resources. These factors collectively heighten pregnancy risks unless addressed with targeted, sustained action.
Coordination involves UNFPA, WHO, and humanitarian agencies, along with national health ministries and partner NGOs. They are tasked with keeping essential supplements available, maintaining supply lines, and evaluating cash-based interventions. Clear accountability and transparent reporting are crucial to ensure resources reach the pregnant women who need them most.
Exclusive: Data from the UN show that the money spent on supplies of folic acid, which can help reduce the risk of anaemia and then possible haemorrhage or stillbirth, are falling – at least in part thanks to aid cuts. Rachel Hagan speaks to health wo